Pencil-sharpening instrument.



Patented Apr, 22,1919.`

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

R. P. MESSENGER.

PENCIL SHARPENING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED )UNE 8 I9I8 Lum.,

25E @a i m/ mg Nonms versus ca 4 Fuero-urna, wAsmNnmN, u.

n.1?. MESSENGER.- Y PENCIL SHAHPENING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILEDJUNEBT I9I8. I 301,72'22, Patented Apr. 22,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Mms Pneus ca Puma-uma. wus/ummm. n c.

tra eiseres.

ROBERT POCOCK MESSENGER, 0F COPENHAGEN, DENMARK.

PiENCIL-SHARIEYNHTG INSTRUMENT.

isomer.

To all olio/7i. t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT PoCooK MnssnNGnn, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Copenhagen, Denmark, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pencil-Sharpening Instruments; and I do hereby decl-are the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

` This invention relates t0 means for sharpening pencils, crayons, and the like, and has for its object the providing of an improved instrument by which lead and crayon pencils, crayons, etc., can be sharpened more quickly "and efliciently than with a knife, more cleanly in use, and pointed lmore in accordance with the desires of the user than is possible with machines now provided for the purpose of sharpening pencils which usually make al blunt point. With the improved instrument in question the flat point desired by draftsmen and the extremely sharp point necessary for book-keepers can be made while cutting away4 only the minimum amount of wood from the pencil.

' A further object of this invention is to utilize safety razor blades, both flexible and double edged, and stiff single edged types, which are now thrown away when too dull for shaving while being amply sharp for cutting the wood and lead of pencils, etc. In combinin a safety razor blade with the instrument a ove mentioned and herein described I provide an eiicient, simple, safe, and cheap sharpening device which can be used without soiling the fingers and without unduly scattering the chips.

These objects are accomplished by providing a holder with a handle to which the safety razor blade is easily attached and detached, said holder being of such shape as to permit of easy manipulation, accurate guiding of the pencil, and moreover, to be perfectly safe to 'use in the `hands of careless people and children. Furthermore inasmuch Vas there are thousands of used safety razor blades lavailable at little c'ost it is possible to always have a cutting instrument with a keen edge, whereas the blades and cutting devices of knives and pencil sharpening machines are frequently dull and require considerable trouble or expense to sharpen er renew.

Specification of Letters Yate-nt.

Application filed J une 8, 1918.

.Patented .eliiix E2, .ifi-Elib.

serial-Ne. 238,959.

The invention is illustrated on the accom-- panying sheet of drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top or plan view of an ordinary flexible safety razor blade made of very thin spring steel, having three holes for fastening to the holder, and having two parallel cutting edges.

Fig. is a transverse sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of anordinary stili' safety razor blade with single cutting edge having a reinforcement on the top edge.

Fig. -l shows an end view of the same.

Fig. 5 shows a top or plan. view of the complete pencil sharpening instrument holding aflexible safety razor blade with double cutting edges in a perfectly flat or horizontal position, and a pencil occupying the approximate position for sharpening.

Fig. 6 shows a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 7 shows a lengthwise cross section of the same.

F ig. 8 shows a side elevation of an alternative method of holding the flexible blade bent up or concavedtransversely only.

Fig. 9 shows a lengthwise section but with the flexible blade held in a further alternative position with its transverse section straight and longitudinally bowed down from the handle.

Fig. 10 shows a lengthwise section, but with the flexibley blade held in reverse position to that 'in'` Fig. 9. i

Fig. 11 shows a top or plan view of an alternative holder arrangement for the flexible blade by which the instrument is rendered simpler and a greater portion of the cutting edges utilized inasmuch as the blade can be reversed end for end.

Fig. 12 shows a. side elevation of the same.

. Fig. 18 shows a lengthwise section of the same.. i

Fig. 14C shows a top'or plan view of a holder adapted for use with a single-edged stiff blade.

Fig. 15 shows a side elevation of thesame.

The various novel features of Jche rinvention willbe apparent from the following description and accompanying` drawings, and will be particularly set forth in the appendedV claims.

The instrument shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, consists of a top member 1, slightly wider than the flexible` .b1ade8, with two bottom members 9, a supporting stud 7,ahandle 4, two knurled thumb screws 5, and a knurled nut 6 for securing the handle 4 to the supporting stud 7. The double-edged flexible blade 8 (Figs. 1 and 2) is 'held between top member 1 and bottom members 9, and the whole fastened together by the thumb screws 5, which pass through holes in the top member 1 and holes 2l and 25 in flexible blade'8, and screw into corresponding tapped holes in bottom members 9. The to-p member 1 consists of va flat plate with approximately rectangular notches 2 and 3 cut midway between the ends on both front and rear edges, the center portion between the notches forming a bar into which the supporting stud 7 is fastened, and serving as a means for covering up the unused center hole 23 in flexible blade 8. The notches described expose a sufficiency of the blade 8 for sharpening, while the remainder is covered up and pro tected from injuring, or injury, inasmuch as the top member 1 is slightly wider than the blade 8. 4

The identically shaped bottom members 9 have their inside ends bent down at right angles and are kept from moving from their respective positions by the upward extremities 10 or the bent down portions holding against theedges of top` member 1. These extremities 10 also serve as guards to pre vent the fingers being cut by the exposed portions of the blade edges, when the instrument is picked up or handled in a care-` less manner. The space between the two bottom members 9 is wide enough to admit a large pencil to freely pass between, and the'two portions bent down at rioht angles serve as guides for said pencil dhring the operation of sharpening, as they keep the same in easy contact with the portion of the cutting blade 8V exposed by the notches 2 and'in top member 1. The handle 4, fastened Vto `the supporting stud 7 by the nut 6, is ofvany convenient size, length and shape, preferably knurled on the rounded surface, and as it swivels von the stud 7 when the nut 6 is loosened, can be secured at any angle relative to the cutting edge, convenient to the user. The position of thishandle is such that the line of force applied to operate the instrument is approximately parallel with the top plane of the cutting blade 8. The ordinary yposition of the handle 4 for cutting is shown in solid lines at X, and tWo alternative positions in dotted lines at Y and Z. It is also possible to secure the' handle 4t in any intermediate or opposite position. That at Y is approximately that of an ordinary knife handle parallel to the long axis ofthe blade, and permits of operating the instrument in a like manner, and furthermore permits of folding the instrument ina Acompact manner for packing. The position at Z'is the reverse positionV of the handle, for utilizing the opposite cutting edge of the blade 8.

The ordinary operation of the instrument is to hold the handle el. with the end resting in the palm ofl the right hand, with the thumb and foreiinger on the knurled thumb screws 5. The pencil is held in position with the left,handresting pencil on some convenient object, at the proper cutting angle between the guiding portions on bottom members 9, and the wood and lead cut by a forward or pushing movement of the instrument similar to the movement employed in sharpening a pencil with a carpenters chisel. The pencil is gradually rotated with the left hand as cutting proceeds. As be@ fore explained, when the handle is at Y the cutting action is similar to that employed when using an ordinary knife.

Inasmuch as I do not wish lto limit myself to the exact construction and arrangement of the blade as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, I show various alternative methods of holding the blade VS (each method having certain advantages in use or construction over the plane method) and also a variation in the construction of the holder, and same are now described.

In Fig. 8 an alternative method holding the flexible blade 8 is shown, inasmuch as the top and bottoni members are made with the transverse-section bent ina semicircular positioi'iwhile the longitudinal section is plane, thus forcing` the flexible'blade 8 to assume a like position (similar to that of a blade held in a Gillette razor holder) thereby giving 'greater stiffness to the cut-- ting edge, but needing a slight change in the angle at which the instrument isv held when sharpening pencils. Otherwise the construction is` the same Iasthat shown in 5. 6, and 7.

In Fig. 9 another alternative position of holding the blade S is shown. 'In this case the top memberfll is bent ina semifcircular or convex-position longitudinally while the transverse section is plane. The surfaces of the bottom members l2 are formed to correspond and the result is to`hold `the flexible blade in a like position and to give greater stiffness to the cutting edge. Otherwise construction is the same as that shown in Figs. 5, G, and 7.

In Fig. 10 still another alternative position of holding the blade 8 is shown, this being the reverse of that shown in Fig. 9,"but for the same purpose` of giving greater stiness to the cutting edge. Otherwise the construction is yidentical with that shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, exceptingthat it is necessary to insert the thumb screws 5 from the bottom side and to screw them `into tapped holes in top member 13. i Y

It should be understood that either or all of the above methods of holding thelexible Sie 'of this invention and do not depart from the spirit thereof. -lt should befurther understood that other minor alterations 4in the vblade and user from injury.

shape of various parts and arrangement thereo; can be ma'dewithout affecting same.

ln Figs. 11, 12 and 13, simpler form ot holder is shown embodying similar principles to that shown in Figs, 6, and 7, but constructed with fewer parts,thereby makH ing the instrument simpler to manufacture and easier for the user to assemble. rThis holder consists Yof top member 15 slightly wider than the tlexible blade S, bottom inember 16 also slightly wider than blade and handle 17 and knurled nut 6. The approximately rectangular shaped notches wand 2O Vor openings in the topmeinher 15a-re placed to one side of thecenter and at opp'o site ends front and rear. The lower member 16 has similar but deeper corresponding notches 21 and 22 (fi. e. extending farther to the longitudinal center) to the .top member 15, and in combination therewith serve to expose a sufficiency of the blade 8 for cutting. Upwardly extending ears 99 `at the `i'our corners of the lower member` 16 hold the top member l'and blade 8 in` place. Y The portions of the edges of the blade not used for cutting are covered up, thus protecting both The top member 15 has small projections 21S on each side of the rectangular notches 19 and 20 which serve to keep the lingers from accidental contact with the exposed cutting edges. The handle 17 has a threaded end 18 bent at approximately right angles to the shalt, said threaded end passing first through a hole in the center of the bottom member 16, then through the center hole 23 in exible blade 8 (Fig. l) and iinally through a hole in the center of the top member 15, the whole being secured in place by knurled nut 6 which screws onto the threaded end of handle 1S, and clamps the flexible blade firmly between the top and bottom members forcing the blade to assume a similar shape, and also holds the handle in any suitable angular position. As will be seen, this obviates the use of additional thumb screws, the two end holes 24 and 25 in blade 8 not being utilized in this construction, they being covered up by portions of the top member 15. Inasmuch as no thumb screws are available, the top member 15 has the end portions 26 and S7 bent up to serve as gripping points for the thumb and forefinger when it is desired to hold the instrument in that manner.

It should be understood that any of the flexible blade positions as described in Figs.

,7, 8, 9 and 10.v can also be used in this construction by so forming the top and bottom members. Furthermore the use of this type of holder does not alter the spirit of this invention inasmuch the principles involved lare identical, and it is evident that still lfurther modilications in detail can be made without departing` from said principles.

` A form of instrument is shown in Figs. 1l andV which is suitable for holding blades with a single cutting-edge oil the socalled stiff type, which are not held in a bent position in the safety razor holder. Such a blade 30 is shown in Figs. 3 and l, consisting oi` a dat blade having a reinv forcement 31 at the top (non-cutting) edge. There are other similar blades u'itll and Without the reinforcement on the market. but it. is :assumed that illustratingone oi these still blades will be suilicient to in clude them all within 'the scope et this patent.

The holder .portion ot the instrument consists of a piece of sheet metal bent in such a manner as to almost completely envelop the blade 30-31. Preferably the left side of said holder 32 provided with approximately rectangular notches 8l and 39 out in both upper and lower portions.y but that Vin the lower portion 39 is deeper, c. extends Vtart-her to the rear. Said notches 3e and 39 expose a suthciency of the edge otheblade 30l for sharpening pencils and the like while protecting the remaining portion from injuring or injury by the downwardly extending front edge 40 of the holder 82. The blade 30-31 is held within the upper and lower portions of the holder 32 simply by the pressure exerted by the springing together of said portions, and the blade can be inserted from either end. Furthermore, when desired, the blade can be turned over (reversed end for end) so that an additional portion of the cutting edge can be utilized. A part of the lower portion of the holder 32 to the side of the notch 39 is punched out and bent down at right angles to serve as a guide 41 for the pencil to slide against during the operation of sharpening. A threaded stud 35 is fastened approximately in the center of the top portion of the holder 32 and this serves as a support for the handle 38, same being clamped in any desired position by lznurled nut 6. Forwardly extending projections 33 on the top portion of the holder 32 serve to keep the lingers from accidental contact with the exposed portion of the blade.

It is obvious that departures can be made from the construction shown for the single cutting edged stiff blade without affecting the spirit of the invention. For instance the handle instead of being adjustable may be made rigid.

What I claim as new is:

l. A pencil sharpening instrument comprising a casing having substantially coextensive upper and lower sides between which may be clamped an edged blade, and a handle adjustably secured to the casing,

which latter' is notched to expose the blade to permit application of a portion of its edge to a pencil.

A pencil sharpening instrument comprising a casing with relatively separable sides to embrace and substantially coextensive with an insertible blade, one side member having marginal lugs to position the parts, the casing provided with a notch or notches exposing one edge or opposite edges of the blade, and a handle extending from one side of the casing.

3. A pencil sharpening instrun'ient comprising a casing having substantially coeXtensive upper and lower sides between which may be clamped an edged blade, and a handle adjustably secured to the casing, which latter is notched to expose the blade to permit application of a portion of its edge to a pencil, the casing provided with linger guards at the sides of the notch or notches.

l. A pencil sharpening instrument comprising a casing having substantially coextensive upper and lower sides between which may be clamped an edged blade, and

a handle adjustably secured to the casing, which latter is notched to expose the blade to permit application of a portion of its edge to a pencil and means forming finger rests to facilitate operation.

5. A pencil sharpening instrument comprising a casing having substantially eoextensive upper and lower sides between which may be clamped an edged blade, and a handle adjustably secured to the casing, which latter is notched to expose the blade to permit application of a portion of its edge tol a pencil, the casing provided with linger guards at the sides of the notch or notches and means forming inger rests to facilitate operation.

6. A pencil sharpening instrument-comprising a` casing to envelop a separable blade and notched to expose the cutting edge or edges of the blade for application to a pencil, and a handle connected to the casing and adjustable angularly thereto on an axis substantially perpendicular to the blade.

In testimony whereofl l aiiiX my signa-ture.

ROBERT POCOCK MESSENGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

